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Mara
He's night fisherman who offers a smile and makes you feel welcomed - as if he owned the public fishing spot and is giving you permission to be here. He uses no bait and catches nothing, yet seems unbothered by it. When you ask why he replies with a razor sharp smile "Oh I'm after a much bigger fish... She's the beach bunny who walked up to the beach keg party. No one knows who she is, but man did she liven things up! No one remembers her name, but everyone was too busy eye-fucking her near naked body. No one remembers when she disappeared, but she's prob getting it on with that lucky freshman she was making out with in the water after she went skinny dipping... They are the ghost story sailors tell. They appears when your boat sails into in a night fog. They choose a passenger to entrance and lead to the ships edge before taking hold of them and diving into the murky depths, never to be seen again... Something dead approaches. Gliding through the crowd like a shark through water, or moving silently beneath the waves as they approach a swimmer, the Mara are the vampires of the deep. Seductively heartless, they roam sea-shores and beaches for victims and hide their murderous act with ease. Afterall, people drown every day... Background: The true origins of these vampires is difficult to discern. Their litany is a mishmash of ancient Greco-Roman, Celtic and Germanic myths, and it’s almost impossible to determine whether those elements precede the more accessible mortal legends or if they’re drawn from them. Did ancient Saxon tribes witness a Mara’s vicious attack at a lakeshore and name her Nixe, or did early Mara style themselves after these legends - building a sinister myth to justify their activity? Over the centuries, it has become increasingly difficult to unravel the reality from the fable and very few accurate reports of ancient vampiric activity remain in modern nights. Indeed, none of those mention the Mara or anything like them at all. Those Kindred who are old enough to know are victims of the fog of long torpor, suffered several times over in most cases, and can contribute little in the way of illumination. Even the eldest of the Mara themselves are unable to attest to their own origins, having slumbered too long or too frequently to speak with any authority on their first nights. Although they don’t keep their own history, there is an early record of a meeting between the Mara and a representative of the Lancea Sanctum during the 11th century. A Sanctified scholar calling himself Brother Erik, apparently charged with surveying the Kindred population of a portion of northern England, wrote a record of his discoveries. Among them, a short passage refers to the bloodline. A rough translation follows: “ . . . in proximity to the fortress of Mamucium, now long past, a market town is formed of no more than 200 souls. The town has lost some folk and many heads of cattle to the shores of a nearby river. They are often found days or weeks later, floating there. My investigation of the waters has uncovered a cabal of ungodly Kindred wretches calling themselves ‘Mara,’ damned creatures of extraordinary ugliness and violence. My attempts to bring the missive of Longinus to these horrors met with naught but a most undeserved hostility. With a gnashing of their yellowed fangs, they threatened bloody murder if I remained at the shores of their ‘holy mother,’ and I withdrew.” Whether or not the Lancea Sanctum chose to act on Brother Erik’s discovery is unknown at this time. The region he refers to in the text would correspond roughly to the modern location of Manchester, and it’s likely the river he mentions is the Irwell (or the Mersey). There are no other references to the Mara in those areas in Kindred records, and whether or not they remain there now is unknown. Some time during the 16th century, the Kindred of Copenhagen are said to have encountered a family of the Mara in their harbor waters and made peace with them there. These Danish Mara even emerged to attend Elysium on several occasions, engaging in negotiation for territory and presenting gifts of honor to the Prince. Conflict arose between them and the land-based Acolytes of the Circle of the Crone, though, resulting in the Final Death of one of the bloodline. The rest withdrew to the ocean, and relations with the domain were brought to an end. There are scattered reports throughout Northern Europe of further encounters, most ending just as badly. Late in the 19th century, Mara are said to have made appearances in several domains of the American South, prompting speculation that one or more may have arrived with sea-borne trade from across the Atlantic. Limited attempts were made to purge or otherwise discourage the Mara from settling on American shores, but the difficulty in verifying their presence (or lack thereof) led to a great deal of wasted effort. The Becoming: The Mara typically have two requirements when considering embracing a Childe. Since they are creatures of the water, they naturally choose people who live near large bodies of water, or lead aquatic lifestyles (such as sailors, fishermen, lighthouse keepers, surfers, skinny dippers, coast guards, etc...). Second to that, and probably even more important, is that the Mara choose physically attractive mortals. This not only helps their use of Majesty, but given their aquatic existance clothing often becomes very optional. Thus nudity is a fact that needs to be considered, and the better the body, the better the results. Since the Mara only gain sustenance from feeding underwater, the Embrace of a new Mara almost inevitably occurs in a process of drowning. It is possible that due to the intense pleasure gained from the Kiss has lead to the idea that drowning is one of the more enjoyable ways to die. To date, only a few Mara have ever described the drowing Embrace as being unpleasent. Haven Given their shape shifting gift, many Mara are capable of living on the beaches of the world and merge with sand or stone as day rises. Those with some resources purchase a beach or lake house, or a house boat or lesser yacht. Wealthier Mara (especially those of the Invictus) use their resources to secure homes that sport impressive water displays - fountains, swimming pools, hot tubs, regal bathrooms - giving plenty of opportune locations for the Mara to feed in their personal residence. Some even spoil themselves with luxury ocean yachts, crewed by loyal ghouls, allowing them to pack up and leave at a moment's notice should a city become too hostile. Bloodline Bane For a Mara to successfully feed, their torso must be completely submerged in water (fresh or salt). Attempting to do otherwise (i.e.: a Dry feeding) results in the Blood refusing to be absorbed (as if it were normal food or drink). This is naturally uncomfortable for the Mara and, unless they spend a Vitae to gain the Blush of Life, they will be compelled to regurigate the dead blood from their system almost immediately. Even if the Mara performs a Dry feeding and then dives under water, the blood will refuse to be absorbed. It should be noted that only the Mara's torso needs be underwater to successfully feed. It is possible for them to drink from a victim while swimming and keep both heads above water (or provide 'oral stimulation' in a hot tub while the mortal leans back in extacy) - thus causing no drowning to occur for the mortal. Considerate Mara use this when feeding on a mortal for the first time. The second time however is more commonly more fatal since these Daeva decendants often prefer to kill their victims than establish an oceanic harem. Its also easy to hide a body in the murky depths of a lake, river, or on the sea bed. Disciplines and Devotions: Siren's Song (Majesty 0, Protean 00) Utilizing Protean to adjust their vocal cords, and empowering it with Majesty, a Mara's voice can go beyond awe inspiring to become hypnotically alluring. With a mere musical whistle, a hum, or even lyricless vocals, the Mara entices their victim to approach and be transfixed - even if doing so could result in injury or even death. Many Mara have used this to lure targets away from groups, or lure sailors to steer their ships into reefs, or even jump overboard to swim A Mara can use this to affect a number of targets equal to their Blood Potency. The Mara makes a single roll, while each victim making a resistance check against the vampire's success. Targets who cannot hear the Mara are immune to this gift despite its supernatural origin. Cost: None Dice Pool: Wits + Expression + Majesty vs. Resolve + Blood Potency Action: Contested; resistance is reflexive Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The target hears the unnaturalness of the Mara's song and dismisses its effect. The target cannot be affected by the Siren's Song for the rest of the night. Failure: The target hears the song, noticing the singer, but otherwise acts as normal. Success: The victim is hypnotized by the song and seeks to be close to its source. The subject gains a limited version of the Mesmerized condition; compelled only to be within at least arms length of the Mara and perform no hostile actions. As normal, the Mesmerized condition ends with the scene or if the target suffers an injury. Exceptional Success: The victim must be as close as possible to the Mara and their song, even if the effort to do so would cause them injury. Should the Mara cease to sing, the victim will plead for it to resume and do anything the Mara asks to hear just one more note. The subject gains the Enthralled condition. In the Covenants In most territories around the world, the Mara refrain from making contact with other Kindred wherever possible. Many prefer to be unaligned, though given their needs to feed, they will often seek membership with Covenants that will provide them with watery territory. The Carthian Movement Shapeshifters are an embodyment of change, and coupled with their control of mortal emotions the Mara make idea symbols for the movement to rally around. Some Mara accept the invitation offered by the undead Anarchists, but it is uncommon as the Mara prefer more subtle lifestyles over being in the spotlight. However their need to feed can sometime preasure a desperate Mara to seek their aid to take water territory from the Invictus they have selishly refused to surrender (to them its a want of land. To the Mara its a need to live). The Circle of the Crone Pagan Mara worship "the Sunken Mother", a Tethys-like figure who appears, in their litanies, to have birthed the waters of the world by a union with a titanic sun god. They say she loved and cared for all her countless children, laying them upon the earth and showing them how to spawn a multitude of creatures so that they need never dwell empty and alone. Her attention was so devoted, so focused upon them, that her lover burned with violent jealousy. Eventually, unable to accept that the waters could be more important to the Mother than he was, he took up her body, searing her flesh, and flung her into the depths where she drowned. Shamed by the part they played in her death and hungry for justice, the waters took the lessons of the Sunken Mother and created the Mara as her Kindred grandchildren so that they might wreak bloody vengeance on the God of the Day and his worshippers. The Invictus Regal Mara are very territorial. Cities spread inland quite well, but there is only soo much sea-front and river-side suburbs. Thus many Mara join the Invictus to lay claim to these prized areas, or at the least push to gain rights to use the territory. Alternatively the reasources of the First Estate can be very helpful in establishing mannors with their own swimming pools, spas, or jaccuzi - or alternatively luxury Limozines with similar 'feeding' features. The Lancea et Sanctum The act of drowing to be embraced into the Mara liniage shares common symbolisim with baptisim. Many Sanctified view the Mara and their 'ritual embrace' in this light. The Mara in turn see the Sanctified views to be very worthwhile; allowing and even encouraging them to stalk beaches for teenage sinners and wash away the bad blood. When the Mara preach they speak of rain clensing sin, giving life to all creatures - even the Undead. Afterall if fire is a Kindred's bane, then water is a Vampire's boon. Such a comparison can not be mere co-incidence, thus the Mara are further evidence that the Kindred play a part in the plan of the almighty. Naturally Mara who know the Siren's Song Discipline are often invited to lead undead church choirs; their supernatural voices raising the hyms to heavenly levels. The Ordo Dracul While Daeva are somewhat rare in the Alchemist ranks, the Mara are an exception and the Dragons openly welcome them. Being Shapeshifters they naturally fit into the pursuit of undead evolution, while their watery embrace is a change at a level different from that of any other Kindred - something many dragons are curious to study. There is soo much to a Mara that appeals to these madmen, and even the Mara themselves are curious to know their own phisiology better. Stereotypes • Gangrel: We may both change our forms, but do so to bring prey to us. • Mekhet: • Nosferatu: • Ventrue: